George E. Ramsey, city commissioner of public safety in Schenectady, was born at Luzerne, Warren county, New York, on the 20th of January, 1872, his parents being Robert and Harriett (Nestel) Ramsey, the former a native of Quebec, Canada, and the latter of Fort Plain, New York. In his boyhood Robert Ramsey accompanied his parents on their removal to Luzerne, this state. He has followed the profession of landscape gardening throughout his active career and is now connected in that capacity with the General Electric Company of Schenectady, where he has resided for the past quarter of a century. His wife passed away in November, 1915.
George E. Ramsey obtained his education in the grade and high schools of Saratoga Springs, New York, and after putting aside his textbooks learned the upholstering trade, which he followed until 1898. In that year he enlisted for service in the Spanish-American war and after his return to civilian life took up the work of landscape gardening, which he learned under the direction of his father. This claimed his attention until 1916, when he again joined the army and went to the Mexican border as first lieutenant of the Second New York Infantry, thus serving from May of that year until October 27, when he was mustered out. On the 19th of March, 1917, Mr. Ramsey's old regiment was ordered out for duty in the World war and he served with the rank of first lieutenant until promoted to a captaincy in France in 1918. Captain Ramsey spent nine months overseas, participating in every engagement in which the Twenty-seventh New York Division took part. He was mustered out September 19, 1919. Having first enlisted in the Regular army in 1894, he has served therein through the intervening period of three decades and now commands Company E of the One Hundred and Fifth Infantry. He is a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Spanish War Veterans. In January, 1920, Mr. Ramsey was appointed deputy sheriff of Schenectady county, continuing in that capacity until made police court clerk in 1923. On the 1st of January, 1924, he was appointed commissioner of public safety in Schenectady, the duties of which office he is now discharging in a highly satisfactory and most commendable manner.
On the 19th of September, 1899, Mr. Ramsey was united in marriage to Miss Anna Ellerby and to them have been born two daughters: Helen, whose natal day was May 10, 1901; and Lillian, who was born November 24, 1908, and who is attending high school. The elder daughter is the wife of Brice Brown of Schenectady and the mother of two children, Helen and Molly Ann.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Ramsey has supported the men and measures of the republican party. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and to the Kiwanis Club, while fraternally he is identified with St. George Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M., the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is also a member of the official board of the State Street Methodist Episcopal church, and his course in every relation of life has been such as to commend him to the confidence and esteem of those with whom he has come into contact.